MRT-3 to deploy 90 buses as line suspends weekend ops for repairs

MANILA, Philippines — The management of the Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT-3) will be deploying 90 buses under its bus augmentation program in order to accommodate passengers who will be displaced by the line’s suspension of weekend operations.

The weekend shutdown is scheduled on July 4 to 5 and will continue on August 8 to 9, August 21 to 23, and September 12 to 13, the railway management said in an advisory on Friday.

It said the first bus will depart at 5:30 a.m. and the last bus will depart at 8:00 p.m. from North Avenue and Taft Avenue stations.

“The southbound loading stations are North Avenue station and Quezon Avenue station while unloading stations are Ayala station and Taft Avenue station,” MRT-3 said.

“Meanwhile, the northbound loading stations are Taft Avenue station and Ayala station, and unloading stations are Ayala station, Quezon Avenue station, and North Avenue station,” the railway added.

The suspension of weekend operations will allow the MRT-3 to continue with the fast-tracking of rail replacement works which are scheduled to be finished by September.

Rail replacement works that will be conducted during the weekend suspension include turnout works for both the southbound and northbound tracks at North Avenue and Taft Avenue stations. Turnouts are used to enable trains to switch from one track to another.

Once the rail replacement works are completed, train operating speed will gradually increase from 40 kilometers per hour to 60 kilometers per hour by December, while the headway, or the interval of time between trains, will gradually decrease to 3.5 minutes, according to MRT-3.

/MUF